The present invention relates to a wireless security module. In particular, the present invention relates to a wireless security module for authenticating communications between a mobile device, such as a mobile telephone, and a self-service terminal, such as an automated teller machine.
With the ever-increasing popularity of mobile telephones and other such wireless devices, there is a drive towards allowing consumers to access more and more different types of services via their mobile telephones. In particular, there are moves towards enabling a consumer to interact with banking services using mobile devices. However, when a consumer wishes to carry out financial transactions from a mobile device, either a telephone or PDA, numerous security issues arise. These are mainly to do with the authentication of the consumer and the consumer's device.
Security problems are particularly acute where the mobile device is to be used to allow a consumer to remove cash from, say, an automated teller machine. In this case, as well as verifying that the user is who he claims to be, it is important to make sure that he is within close proximity to the machine, so that when cash is dispensed, the user is there to collect it. To overcome some of these security issues, it has been proposed that the user's mobile telephone be adapted to include security hardware and software for interacting with terminals. A disadvantage of the need for additional hardware is, however, that it requires modification to the user's mobile device. Clearly, this is a significant limitation. There is therefore a need for a simple and secure system for allowing communication between mobile devices such as mobile telephones and terminals such as self-service terminals.